Innovate UK awarded the consortium, which included Lancaster and Cardiff Universities, a grant for the one-year project, with Quinas coordinating and the majority of funding deployed with IQE. The project saw IQE successfully scale up the manufacture of compound semiconductor layers initially developed by Lancaster University to an industrial process, the first step towards the commercial production of packaged ULTRARAM chips. In doing so, IQE developed an advanced capability in gallium antimonide and aluminium antimonide epitaxy, representing a world-first for scalable epitaxy for memory devices.
ULTRARAM, a dual-use technology which was invented at Lancaster University, combines the non-volatility of a data storage memory, such as flash, with the speed and endurance of a working memory, such as DRAM, while providing significantly improved energy efficiency. ULTRARAM target applications will include artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space and defence.
The ULTRARAM project aligns with the UK Government’s semiconductor strategy to boost domestic innovation and build sovereign capabilities in key semiconductor technologies. The partners are now exploring further industrialisation and pilot production with foundries and strategic collaborators.
Jutta Meier, Chief Executive Officer of IQE, commented: “We have successfully achieved our goal of developing a scalable epitaxy process for ULTRARAM, a milestone towards industrial production of packaged chips. This project represents a unique opportunity to bring the next generation of compound semiconductor materials to life in the UK and we are proud of our work with Quinas, Lancaster and Cardiff Universities to advance commercial production and create world-leading universal memory devices.”
James Ashforth-Pook, Chief Executive Officer of Quinas Technology, commented: “This project marks a turning point in the journey from university research to commercial memory products. With IQE’s industrial capabilities and Innovate UK’s support, we have taken a critical step toward building sovereign capability in memory – the most strategically vital yet underrepresented segment of the UK semiconductor stack. ULTRARAM’s potential to radically improve energy efficiency in AI, mobile and data centre applications positions Britain as a leader in next-generation memory innovation.”
